Doctor Who: Regenerative Crisis
by Jetplague
Summary: The Tenth Doctor Adventures Continue! After the ending of his previous encounter, See The Cyberman Apocalypse story The Doctor returns to Galifrey as he beings to shift unexpectedly into his regenerative cycle again...or has he?
1. Default Chapter

Doctor Who – Regenerative Crisis

The Tenth Regeneration Adventures

By Jeff Walker

"What…what's happening to me?"

The Timelord started to get the sharp stabbing pains throughout his body and screamed in agony as he twitched from the multiple attacks. He quickly threw himself over to the controls and frantically set the controls on a new course. With one last sharp cry of pain, the Timelord passed out on the floor and lay there motionless. His entire body began fluctuating as if in a mid-regeneration, but all the contorting and the rippling light waves weren't changing his appearance at all. His skin was reflecting the space/time vortex the TARDIS is traveling in, as if he had merged with the cosmos and was drifting along with his machine. The quiet room seemed to make the time pass slowly as the unconscious Timelord lay on the ground for what seemed like passing hours. The console's center column rose and fell repeatedly as it chugged along to its destination.

In the distance, somewhere beyond the control room, the voices of the two female companions could be heard getting closer and closer as they make their way back. Chattering away and not noticing the Doctor lying on the floor, the two step into the perforated white walled room as they continue their conversation.

"Those where delicious sandwiches Andrea…I've never eaten so good since our last stop over at Saturn base 5. Seems like I haven't had a decent meal in nearly forever…Thanks. It's incredible how this place is so much bigger on the inside then it is on the outside."

"Yeah, I was a bit in awe of this place myself when I first came in…but you get use to it after awhile."

The two women had changed clothes and cleaned up in the time that past. Megan had now gotten out of her burned and ripped Earth force uniform and now wears civilian clothing. A tanned brown long sleeved shirt with the sleeves rolled up and tucked into a pair of blue jeans cuffed at the bottom of her heals. Her old military issue boots had been replaced with canvas red runners that looked brand new. Andrea had found a white front brimmed hat with small stars littered all over it. Her light blue t-shirt was hanging over the pair of white kakis and sported some pink velvet like shoes. As the two continued to giggle and converse, Andrea finally noticed the Doctor stretched out on the ground in a most un-natural state.

"Doctor? Doctor!"

Both women quickly dropped down to see if he was alright, Andrea held on to his hand tightly while Megan checked his vital signs. She soon saw the strange reflections appearing on his skin, the starry background warping through his face as if it was like an image of what was happening outside the TARDIS.

"My god…what is going on?" She gasped. "Is this normal?"

"Of course it's not normal!" Andrea snapped as tears began to trickle down her cheek. "Oh Doctor…please wake up!"

The Doctor remained silent and only breathed in and out in a calm fashion as he continued to lie there on the floor. Megan stood up and gazed at the center controls that seemed to operate on their own.

"This ship is on automatic? Andrea…Andrea what's going on?"

Andrea broke out of her desperation and gazed up to view the console as well, she looked at the array of knobs, switches and various other electronics flashing away on the TARDIS controls and rubbed her head in doubt.

"The Doctor…he must have pre-set the TARDIS co-ordinates for somewhere. But I haven't a clue as to where we're going."

Andrea and Megan scurried over to see if they could make sense of the Timelord's craft, together they pushed and flicked the odd switch that wasn't lit up and discovered that everything they tried was doing nothing to stop the TARDIS.

"We're wasting our time…" Megan says in frustration. "He's the only one who knows how this thing works. Some of the controls I can make out…but the rest is all gibberish and ancient!"

Suddenly the center column begins to power down and slowly shuts off. The two women pause from it's deactivation and look at one another in alarm. Andrea attempts to switch on the outside monitor and gazes up as the viewer opens up along the wall and feeds in the image outside.

"Where are we Andera?" Megan asks.

"I…I don't know. It almost looks like…a…a court yard or something."

Megan gets into view of the screen and also sees the strange surrounding awaiting them outside the TARDIS. The area is open and made of marbled stone, ancient looking writings and designs grace the pillars and solid wall like pieces that are spread about in a circle. Suddenly they notice a group of robed individuals heading towards the Timelord's craft and gasp in fear.

"Who are they? What's going on?" Megan shouts with confusion.

"I…I don't know that either Megan." Andrea quivers as she backs away from the controls.

The figures now approach the TARDIS doors and look up as if they can see the women inside are watching them. The robed individuals look regal in appearance, wearing strange shoulder collars that form behind their heads like a royal emblem. The two frightened women notice that the people are human looking, male and female, and that one of the royal looking men is pointing to the door and mouthing the words to "open". Megan seemed unsure about what this person's intentions were, having just joined the Doctor and Andrea, she found all of this rather confusing and wondering just what these two have brought her into.

"I think he wants in." Andrea states as she bites her nail nervously.

"No kidding. Ya think?" Megan bluntly responds. "Why does he want in here? That's what I want to know. Seem odd to me that they know English language…"

Andrea rubs her temple and breathes out.

"I just don't know what to do. Oh, man…why is this always happening to me?"

Megan finally takes charge and walks over to the console where the confused companion is standing.

"Well…somebody has to make a move, we just can't be sitting here staring at one another for all time."

Megan finally slaps the door control that Andrea was touching as she tried to make a decision, the sudden sound of the TARDIS doors opening made both of them turn around and face them as they braced for whatever came through. As the doors finally stopped opening, the group of strangely dressed individuals came in slowly. The man who had been pointing outside lead the group in and paused in front of the terrified women.

"Where is he?"

"Who?" Andrea nervously answered.

"The Doctor?" The man calmly spoke again. "Where is the Doctor?"

"Over there." Megan pointed. "Behind the console."

The group split up around the controls and found the Timelord on the ground, his face and skin were still showing the vortex like space reflection and caused a few of the group to gasp in amazement.

"Lord President!" The regal looking female shouted. "Come and see!"

The man that had been talking to Andrea and Megan quickly walked around and now gazed upon the spectacle for himself. Leaning down and touching the Doctor's head, he studied his features and touched his face with curiosity.

"He is still in flux. This is not possible, we've already known of his transformation…why is he doing it again so soon?"

"His regeneration must be unstable." The regal woman speaks again. "Lord President…what do make of this?"

The Lord President rose and tapped his upper lip in thought.

"This is more serious than I thought. The Doctor should not be in flux so soon, yet here he is and in great danger. Bring the stretcher in so that we may take him straight to the Time Reconstruction Chamber."

The group bows to him and all leave the TARDIS as he continues to look down at the shifting Timelord.

"Welcome home Doctor…I wish it was on better circumstances."

Andrea is fed up with all the dramatics and finally flops her arms in anger.

"Who are you people? Where the hell are we?"

The man turns around and raises an eyebrow at her impolite attitude.

"Calm yourself child. This is Galifrey…and we are the council of Time."

"Timelords? You're Timelords…like him?" Andrea realizes.

"Yes my dear, this is the home world of the Timelords and I am its Lord President Devendari. The Doctor is in grave need of our help, I ask that you do not interfere and remain with us for the time being."

Megan notices a new group of people entering the Timelord's craft, four of them that were dressed in red and white armor with gold crested helmets laden with symbols and designs. She would know a soldiers uniform anywhere, these were warriors that defend Galifrey and keep the security within its boundaries. They were carrying the stretcher that their President asked for and quickly placed it beside the Doctor as they moved him onto it. As they raised him up, they each balanced it under their shoulders and marched out of the TARDIS with the rest looking on with concern.

"Come ladies." The President commanded. "Let us discuss how this event happened and we can safely return you to your proper place and time afterwards."

"No!" Andrea said angrily. "I'm not leaving until I know the Doctor is alright."

Megan stepped over to the President with caution and sheepishly asked a question.

"You'd return us to our own time? Tell me…would I be placed back after the Cybermen War? On Earth?"

The Timelord looked at her and sighed.

"You shall go to the very moment where the Doctor first met you. He should not have interfered with your war against the Cybermen, I'm sorry child, but you were not supposed to have survived that final conflict."

That cold reply made the future girl step back in horror, to hear that she was not to survive the deadly war was enough to send a cold chill down her spine. A sudden wave of nausea and grief came over her and she almost collapsed from the dreadful news.

"Not to survive…my god." She quivered in her voice.

Andrea came to the woman's aid and comforted her as she tried to compose herself.

"That was cruel of you, sir. All she asked of you was to be placed out of harms way if she was returned."

President Devendari walked past them and paused to gaze at Andrea as she still held Megan in support.

"Humans. You are so sensitive to hear the truth, so timid when it comes to your own mortality and yet…so eager to throw your lives away in the spur of the moment. Its not I who is cruel at all, I'm simply telling you how it must be…how it has always been."

Andrea and Megan give him a look of disapproval and he in turn changes his tone to that of gracious host.

"Come, I will allow you to view the Doctor as we try to remedy the situation. Please…I promise you shall not be put back until he is well again."

The Timelord walks out of the room and leaves the two women thinking it over.

"I guess we've got no choice." Andrea sighs.

"One day longer to live…I think I'd like to spend it with someone who saved me for that time."

Both nodded and gave each other a hug. The two walked out of the TARDIS hand in hand and were met by a group of Galifreian soldiers who proceeded to guide them to where the Doctor was being taken.

"Its too bad really." Megan's voice echoes out as they walk through the courtyard. "I was just getting to enjoy my life again."

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

In a valley of hot sweeping sands, with brush and water starved plant life, laid the Doctor as the wind passed over him like an air of doom. The Timelord suddenly sat up and spun his head around like an animal listening for predators.

"I must get to Galifrey!" He shouted as he awoke. "What…where am I? This isn't the TARDIS?"

Rising to his feet, he looks around at the barren wasteland and tries to make sense of what has happened to him.

"How on Earth did I get here? This isn't Galifrey? Is it?" He mutters to himself as he begins to walk. "No mountains, no sign of life…other then the poor dried up bits here and there. Strange…its almost…its almost as if I'm nowhere. But that's impossible, obviously I'm somewhere…sand, air, a bright blue sky…this must be Earth. But how did I manage to get here alone?"

The Timelord stops in his tracks and calls out into the open valley.

"ANDREA! MEGAN!"

The eerie sound of the wind is all he can hear in response; not knowing when or where he is confounds his intellect and searches for any clue as he walks through the dried, dusty plains. His long walk seems to go on forever as he crosses over the empty land, breathing heavily and looking confused he continues to wander through for any sign of life. After what seem like hours to him, he finally collapses to the ground in exhaustion. The sand and dry conditions have conquered the oddly dressed Timelord as he soon realizes he lost with no chance of escaping this desert valley.

"Must…not give in." He whispers to himself. "Must find…the TARDIS…Megan…Andrea…yes, they'll be looking for me for sure."

"Not this time Doctor." A deep male voice says over him.

The Doctor manages to move his head and gazes up at the person now standing over him.

"What? Who are you? Where did you come from?"

The man was dressed in garments similar to the Timelords Megan and Andrea met, his were colored in deep red and gold, a Caucasian looking fellow with mustache and a beard that looked well trimmed. His hand reached down to the Doctor and waited for his in return. Obliging his help, the Doctor grasped it and rose up with the other man's strength. Wiping himself off and clearing his throat, the Doctor bowed to the stranger and smiled.

"Seems an odd place for the likes of you to be strolling about. Tell me are we on Galifrey?"

"Not quite Doctor." The man replies.

"Ah…" The Doctor says as he continues to fix his appearance. "Well if you don't mind, I'd very much like to know where we are…exactly."

The man steps closer to the Doctor and gazes at him in a serious manner.

"You're nowhere Doctor. In no time, in no place and in no existence of any form."

The Doctor pauses as he hears that and slowly looks up at the strange man with a fearful expression.

"Yes Doctor…" The man continues as he sees the realization creep into the Timelord's face. "Welcome to the beginning of the end…you're death."

The Doctor freezes in horror as the stranger simply smirks at his reaction.


	2. Chapter 2

"My death you say…" The Doctor replies. "How…how very unexpected…I'm sure."

The Galifreian robed stranger circles the bewildered time traveler and continues to speak as he keeps his eyes focused on his face.

"You are one of the rare numbers to enter this realm, Doctor. Not since the days of Rassilon have I ever encountered one to come here. But that fact aside…you are going to die nonetheless."

The Doctor blinks rapidly and quickly begins to chuckle hysterically.

"I get it…oh yes, this is supposed to be the fabled Lost Zone or Zero Time…the Timelord myth of between worlds…yes, yes…very funny."

The regal looking dressed man stops pacing and gives him a curious stare.

"Funny? What is it you find amusing, Doctor? This is the Lost Zone or Zero Time…as you come to know it."

"Please…" He scoffs at him. "It was childhood fear, they used to frighten our young by telling us that if we didn't take care of ourselves and navigate time streams properly, we'd be taken out of time and space…locked away forever in zero time."

The man steps back in front of the giggling non-believer and stretches out his arms.

"And so you are…I am the keeper of this realm. This is no tale my friend…but a simple truth."

Shaking his head and still doubting his location, The Doctor sighs and places his hands in his pockets.

"So I guess that makes you a Guardian I suppose…hm? What are you then? The Limbo Guardian? You're not the white Guardian…and you're certainly not the Black Guardian, both of them would have been much more elaborate in their appearances. So I guess that makes you the …what…Red Guardian I suppose?"

The man stares at his own dressing as the Doctor points out the color in his garb, but snickering again and smiling at the Timelords continual disbelief makes him that much more happier to shatter his ego.

"I am not the White nor the Black…I am the forgotten, the one placed here since the beginning of time itself…I am the Infinite Guardian. Keeper of the Zero Realm of Time and Space. And you…like the few before…are now here to decide which path you will follow, the one that leads to your final moment."

The Doctor stops giggling suddenly, the smile that once stretched ear to ear was now dimming quickly as he realized that this was no dream, no joke, and this man before him was the one he and all other Galifreians had feared of in their nightmares.

"It can't be. I'm still in my prime! You can't just scoop up any Timelord that you feel might be a challenge to you…that makes you no better then the other Guardians!"

"But I didn't take you out of your time Doctor." The Infinite Guardian muses. "You did."

"I did?" The Doctor scoffs. "I took myself out of time and space. Oh come on! Your really expect me to believe your lies? And just how did I do that? I haven't the power to will myself out of existence!"

The Guardian sighs at his anger, the look in his bored eyes shows that he's had to deal with this sort of behavior before and loathes having to go through it all over again.

"No Doctor…you don't have that power. But you did do something no Timelord has done in over two and a half million millennia. You bonded with another Timelord and shared a single life-force, no one but the Timelords of Rassilon's era were ever allowed to do so, only because they had the power to maintain their own after it was done. Since no Galifreian retains that special gift any longer…they now forfeit their lives in a means to balance the harmony of the universe. That is what brought you here to my domain."

Twiddling his fingers together as he mulls over the Guardian's explanation, the Doctor takes a few steps away as he puckers his lips and discovers how this has happened to him.

"The Master." He groans. "He used me to get a new body and now I'm the one left to suffer. Typical…just typical."

Spinning back around and pointing at the Guardian, the quirky Timelord stepped back over at him and asks a question.

"Wait a moment…Why isn't the Master here with me? Hm? If my life-force is bonded with his…shouldn't he be in here with me as well?"

"Because he's already on the path to his end, his fate has already been decided. The extension of his life is only delaying the inevitable and will…in due time…bring about his own destruction. You on the other hand Doctor have now altered your own destiny, the paths given to you now are were you must go."

Holding on to jacket and standing in defiance, the Doctor hold his head up and lowers his eyes at the Infinite Guardian.

"And what if I decide not to go? Hm? I don't see any paths before me that you're on about."

The red and gold trimmed dressed man smirks at him and points beyond the snippy Timelord.

"Look again…and see…"

The Doctor slowly turns around and looks in the direction of where the Guardian points. His eyes grow wide with shock as he suddenly gazes upon a dirt road that splits into three directions at he end. A lone signpost has arrows navigating to which path leads where. Rebirth, Destiny, and Endless Void are lettered on the white arrowed sign, the typeface that of British laneway designations which the Timelord has been familiar with before. Walking up to the split path and reading the sign, the Doctor gulps in fear as he turns his head back to see the Guardian laughing at his reaction.

"The paths await you, Doctor!"

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Andrea and Megan are lead into the large Time Reconstruction Chamber with the Lord President of Galifrey. The massive room looks more like a cathedral to them as they scan the place over, the ceiling high above is domed with a golden machine sticking downwards towards a flat marbled alter at the bottom. The Doctor's shifting body is placed onto the smoothly polished alter as the guards lay him down carefully, the golden machine powers up as he is placed and begins to pulsated with a faint blue and purple light. The women are amazed at the device; it looks as if it was created by renaissance artisans, but alien in the design. Gears could be heard spinning and the ground shaking sound of each pulse moving through it filled the room with a low thump. Megan watched the Timelords as they prepared the Doctor's body for whatever the machine was supposed to do.

"The Time Reconstruction Chamber." Devendari announced to the Earth women. "We've never had to use it on another Timelord until this day. For over a thousand centuries has this machine lay dormant…not since the dark times of Rassilon has anyone activated ancient technology such as this."

"Are you serious?" Andrea says gawking at the Timelord. "You mean nobody has used this…ever?"

Devenari clears his throat and tries to explain again.

"As I said, it hasn't been used since our ancestral times. We've never encountered this problem during our reign and the chances of it ever happening were very remote at best."

"Well it seems to me that the odds came in." Andrea snaps at him. "Just say that you know how to operate this contraption and get him well again."

"Of course." The man bows. "Our technicians and scholars in the field are completely well versed in its use, just be patient my dear child and have faith in our skill."

"I'll have better faith in you once you get it going."

Andrea walks away from him and holds her face in her hands. The Timelord president sighs at the woman's overly emotional comments and chalks it up to typical human behavior. Megan, being the one of a more analytical mind, asks the Galifreian a more rational question.

"If this machine fails to do the task…is there some other that can help? Another ancient device of some sort?"

"No, I'm afraid not." The man states. "This is the only thing we have that might reverse his condition. It's never been used on a Timelord to my knowledge…it was more for removing temporal incursions or various objects that were out of normal time according to some of the rumored legends. The other myths are that it was a device that Rassilon used to study time and space and guided it with his mental powers."

"Then what makes you think it will work on him?" Megan says with apprehension.

"I didn't say that it would. It may or may not work…" The Lord President replies. "But anything is worth a try to save his life."

Andrea watches the Doctor's body glow in the purple light, her eyes show the concern and fear for him as she stands helplessly not knowing what will happen to him. She takes a few steps closer to his body, but keeps well enough away to let the Timelords do their work.

"Oh Doctor…hang on…hang on…" She whispers.

Megan remains standing next to the President as he watches the progress of the machine's beam intensify.

"What is that doing to him exactly?" Megan inquires.

"Well...in a way, it is attempting to pull him back into focus, trying to draw him back into our time stream and strengthen his mind. The Doctor has lived many lives…it will cascade into his other selves and draw on them to give him the power to survive. Or so we hope…"

"And if it doesn't help? What then? What will happen to him?"

Devendari closes his eyes as he shutters to think of such a thing.

"Then…the Doctor will die."

Opening his eyes again and staring at Megan, he gives a worried brow and breathes an air of doom.

"He has been involved in many time streams, many changes and historical moments throughout the universe…his previous selves are all linked to each other and now affects all that happens around him. If the Doctor dies…it will alter the past, the present and the future…and in the end will cause the total collapse of time and space itself. His death will be the death of us all!"

Megan becomes worried now, and looks over at Andrea who is still watching the Doctor with great fear.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Choose Doctor!" The Infinite Guardian commands. "Take the path to end your suffering"

Staring at the split dirt pathway, the Doctor breathes in and stands in defiance.

"No. I refuse to play this game."

The Guardian suddenly is seen beside him and glares at him as he raises his voice.

"You cannot refuse! These are paths…your death is already at hand! If you do not choose the road to your destruction…then you will remain here with me where time and space has no meaning!"

"Then I'll stay here then…" The Timelord remarks in a humorous tone. "I could do with a bit of a rest. The only downside is that I won't be able to get a good spot of tea for an eternity."

The Guardian rolls his eyes and sighs with disbelief. He calmly walks out in front of the Timelord and strokes his graying red beard in thought.

"You find this amusing do you Timelord? That by not deciding will ultimately free you of any wrong choice? Is that what you believe?"

"Yes…" The Doctor answers as he holds his hands behind him. "Clearly the choice cannot be made if by any road I take will lead to my demise. But if I remain here…I stand a better chance to live a little bit longer."

Turning around and smiling, the Guardian wiggles his right finger at him.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk…that's called cheating Doctor. If you think by staying here with me will prolong your existence…I'm happy to say…you are clearly wrong. Death is coming for you no matter where you stay or not, I have nothing to gain by any of your choices…if you stay with me…you will stay and never exist again."

The Doctor's eyes lower as he hears the Guardian admit it, he now unlocks his arms from behind and has a lost look on what to do next.

"You see Doctor…you cannot escape what has already been in motion, you've wasted you're life energy and have nothing left to regenerate into. To go forward now, you must die…to be born into a new life, to be sent back to the thing you fear the most or to go into the void of nothingness and erase all that you were, have been and what you would have become."

"Then…this is truly it then." The Doctor breathes in sorrow. "This is the end of my life…forever."

"I'm afraid so." The Guardian utters with no emotion. "But if you still cannot decide…then let this one convince you otherwise."

As the regal robed man points to the middle road, a dark figure stands in the middle of it with his head lowered. The Doctor's eyes grow wide curiosity and takes careful steps closer to see who it is.

"The path to my destiny…what lies for me there?" The Doctor asks questioningly.

"Darkness my dear Doctor…" The darkly dressed man now speaks.

The Timelord recoils in shock as he sees the man raise his head and slowly giggling in that familiar evil tone he's always heard from this individual.

"The Master!" The Doctor gasps.

The evil Timelord chuckles at the Doctor's reaction and glares at him in delight.

"Yes Doctor…take a good look. For I am your destiny and your destroyer!"

The Master's laughter echoes into the air and taunts the Doctor as he continues to gaze at him with malice.


	3. Chapter 3

"Now I know I'm dreaming…" The Doctor mutters bitterly. "Or having a one very nasty nightmare."

"I know what your thinking Doctor." The Master soon says as he ends his laughing, a smile remains on his face as he strokes his chin looking at his nemesis. "You're thinking that this my doing…that I brought you here to one of my 'deranged illusions'. Having fun with you one last time…or…that I haven't really left your mind at all. That a part of me is still inside you, en echo of my former self tormenting you till the day you die."

The Doctor's face twinges as he turns to look away from the smiling madman. The Master, lifts up his chin with pride as he notices the quirky Timelord's reaction to his comment and points to him in arrogance.

"Yes. You think that very thought…I'm still in your mind, playing games and trying to destroy you…to drive you utterly insane. Isn't that true, Doctor? Tell me I'm right!"

"YES!" The Doctor says forcefully as he turns back in anger. "End this, Master! I'm tired of trying of your stupid riddles and meaningless banter…END IT!"

The Infinite Guardian steps between the two and looks deep at the Doctor.

"He can't end it, Doctor. For he is not really here…this is not the Master, nor the left over of his essence inside your mind. When he left your body he took all that he was with him, but he also took some of your life-force in order to survive the transfer."

"Then why is he standing there and mocking me?" The Timelord shouts. "What does this have to do with my destiny?"

The Master now remains silent as he just stands there grinning at the Doctor, the Guardian circles around the Doctor again as he tries to help him understand the meaning of this path.

"The Master is just an example of who you may turn out to be. You feared, for a long time that you would end up like him. In fact you met yourself during your trial on Galifrey during your sixth self…is this not so?"

The Doctor nods hesitantly as the man continues to slowly pace around him.

"Yes…my final regeneration." The Doctor shamefully admits. "I was as perverse and corrupt as the Master himself, trying to put myself on trial for crimes against the laws of time. It would have very nearly ended my life…he…I…that thing I'm destined to become will try to destroy my previous selves."

"Complicated is it not, child of Galifrey." The guardian snickers as he stops in front of him.

"It is indeed." The Doctor stares back.

"Then you know that is the road you can only take. If you go to rebirth…you will not know which life you will be born into. A varied other species that will take you…but to be a Timelord…or as a Galifreian…no more. And since the path of the empty void will be a meaningless choice…you cannot go there either. The path of your true destiny is where you must ultimately go."

Sighing at the prospect of being as bad as his rival, the Doctor looks over and notices the Master has disappeared, but a faceless, dark clothed figure now stands in his place and waits for him.

"If I must…I will really miss being me. Strange that all my good deeds and morals would turn to bitterness and apathy in the end."

As the Doctor begins to take a few steps to the main lane ahead, a voice cries out from the distance behind him, one that has a familiar sound to the Doctor's ear.

"STOP! Don't take one more step…it's a trap!"

Even the Infinite Guardian was surprised by the man's voice and turned to look at him as he ran up to the both of them.

"This is my domain. Only I command others in here…who are you?" The Guardian says to the intruder.

The man finally stops running and gasps for breath. He is about the same height as the quirky Timelord, with close cut brown hair and young face, the man sports a leather jacket and a pair of jeans, a rather trendy look that looks more human in design.

"My god that was a long way…" The man says comically. "Have you ever thought about renting a motor car service or something? Cause if this is how you greet strangers, I have to tell you...its no wonder nobody travels here."

"Who are you?" The Guardian demands again at this joker.

"Me? I'm the Doctor!"

The Guardian looks back at the other Doctor as he now walks over and looks at the man claiming to be him. Both give a slight nod to one another and the leather clad Doctor points at the Guardian.

"And I'm here to tell you…WE are not going anywhere!"

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

The Time Chamber is a flurry with action as the Timelords scurry about with various devices and checking computers along the walls of the room. The Lord President watches with Andrea and Megan as they notice a shift in color in the Doctor's body lying on the table.

"He's glowing…he's glowing red! What does that mean?" Andrea says anxiously.

"Something has entered his temporal stream…I think the machine is having some effect on his stability."

Megan runs over to one of the workers taking a quick gaze at the computer.

"What is going on? Is it really working?"

The young male Galifreian keeps working away on the various knobs and flickering lights as he tries to answer Megan's questions.

"There was a spike in the time flux, I think the Doctor is trying to focus his mind, the center call has been sent out."

"Center call?" Megan asks again.

"When a Timelord is in trouble…in need of help and there is no one else to aid him…he can send out a distress call with his mind."

The young man looks up at her and finishes the explanation.

"He's sending in reinforcements…his other selves."

Megan still doesn't have a clue as to what that means or what is happening, but from the man's serious tone and wide eye expression, it's something that must be very monumental to witness. Looking back at the Doctor on the table, his body continues to shift in color and still reflects the vortex spinning within him.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"What generation are you?" The red bearded Guardian asks.

"Eighth…although, if we're actually counting by lives…then I would be the Ninth." The familiar sounding Timelord replies.

"You are not supposed to be here." The robed man calmly states. "This is his decision and not yours."

"Poppycock!" The ninth Doctor refutes. "I've got just as much right to be here as he does…seeing how we are one and the same. Isn't that right my chubby cheeked friend?"

The leather jacket wearing Timelord looks at the latest version of himself and stares at him curiously.

"My god man…I've put on a lot of pounds. Still…the nose looks about the same."

The Doctor nods at his other self. "Yes…I noticed that too. Must be a flaw in the regenerative cycle. Wait a moment! I'm not chubby! Just very…well…healthy."

The ninth Doctor rolls his eyes and scoffs at that answer. He notices the dark figure standing in the pathway ahead and gawks at it with interested gaze.

"My word…is that supposed to be the last me? I'm so drab…"

"Well at least he's not dressed in leather." The Tenth Doctor snickers. "Its bad enough I'm having a crisis of the soul…but a crisis in my fashion choices is really too painful to re-live."

The man spins around at the others remark and points his finger at him bitterly.

"I'll have you know that this is much more presentable then the garb you've got on now. In fact, I'm much more in focus then you'll ever be!"

"Enough!" The Guardian screams with irritation. The two Doctor's quarreling is grating on his nerves as he watches them stare one another down. "Get to the point of your being here…I grow weary of this incessant chatter."

"Very well." The Ninth version of the Doctor utters. "I was summoned here."

"Summoned?" The Infinite Guardian scoffs sarcastically. "By whom?"

The Doctor points to his latest incarnation standing in front of him.

"By my cheeky friend here. Center signal and all you know…Timelords do tend to stick together…even amongst themselves."

The pompous smirk the two Doctors make causes the Guardian to scrunch his face in frustration. He can see the men both clearly have the same ego and the same annoying habit of acting like an arrogant brat. The red robed man slowly stepped towards them both and clasped his hands together as he tried to calm himself.

"I see…" He breathes out as he thinks about the situation. "So you would call upon previous forms to fight for your survival? Futile Doctor…very, very futile. Drawing in the others of yourself will only speed your energy level to its bitter end."

"Then I will fight you…" The Ninth version says defiantly, giving a slight glance to his other self. "I mean…WE will fight you. All of me…us…whatever…well you get the idea."

The Guardian shakes his head negatively for a second and then gives out a boisterous laugh. Walking away from the two men looking confused at his reaction, he continues to chuckle away as he stands in the middle of the four way road and turns his head to view them again.

"Truly Doctor…you are the most stubborn Timelord I've ever come across. But you fail to simply grasp the one fundamental concept in this place."

"And that is?" The Tenth Doctor inquires.

Turning back to face them, the Infinite Guardian loses his smile and gives a serious gaze.

"I rule here."

With one quick pass of his hand, he sends the Ninth Doctor away as the man gives a quick scream and blinks out of sight. The Tenth Doctor gasps in horror as the shocking quick demise of his former self sends a chill through his body.

"Fight me all you want Timelord…it won't change a thing. Death is here for you."

The Doctor stares up at the man who slowly begins to grin and gives another deep booming laugh as he points over to the darkly dressed man fading in the background.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Twitching on the table in convulsions, the Doctor's body begins to fluctuate violently as the Timelords and his two companions look on. The energy beam begins to create a spectrum of various colors as the machine overhead tries to control his life force. The Lord President of Galifrey rushes over to the computer operators as they frantically try to correct the problem.

"What's happening?" The President demands.

"Feedback my Lord President." The busy young man replies. "There is a surge coming back through as if it is trying to re-direct the beam back to us."

"What?" Megan gasps as she quickly joins in the conversation. "Is that possible?"

"No." The young man says in frustration. "I don't understand how this could happen…there shouldn't be any feedback whatsoever."

Andrea kneels to the ground in desperation as tears roll down her cheeks, seeing her friend in such pain is overwhelming and frightening to witness, she folds her hands together and brings them up to her lips as she cradles back and forth.

"No…no Doctor...don't give up! Please…please…please…fight it!"

Megan also finds the whole experience too much to bear and pounds on the console in anger at the two men.

"For god's sake…fix it! Turn it off…do something!"

The President grabs the over emotional woman and shouts at her.

"We are! We are trying! Grab hold of yourself child!"

The man then turns back to the operator and leans down to his face.

"Turn it off…"

"We can't my Lord."

"Why can't you damnit?"

The young man stares directly at him. "Power is at maximum…and too dangerous to switch off now. He'll die if we attempt that!"

"Then reverse the polarity and feed the energy back into him." The President demands again.

"We can't do that either!" The young Timelord screams.

"Why! Why bloody hell can't you!"

"A re-direction will pump not only him with too much energy, but it will flood this entire room and the whole of Galifrey if we do. Sir, we'll not only kill just him, but all of us as well."

Megan puts her hands over her face as she weeps in terror for the poor Doctor. The President looks over and sees his body shaking continuing to get worst. Struggling to think of what to do next. The leader of the Timelord planet balls his fist in anger for what he is forced to command next.

"Turn it off."

"Sir?" The young man gasps.

"I said turn it off. If it means the safety of Galifrey and the universe at large…then the Doctor must DIE!"


	4. Chapter 4

"NO!" Andrea screams as she runs over clasping onto the Timelord's arm. "You can't do it! After all that man has done for you, the universe and time itself…how can you be so damn cruel?"

Lord President Devenari forces her hand off of his person and turns away from the hysterical woman.

"Cruelty has nothing to do with this. I'm thinking of the safety of our world and billions of others."

"Bullshit!" Andrea replies in anger. "When did the Timelords ever think of the universe when other planets suffered under Cybermen and Dalek attacks? Where was the mighty Timelords of Galifrey when countless time streams were invaded? The Doctor always puts himself in front of the line for the sake of righteousness no matter what immoral situation pops up. He's more a Guardian of Time then any of you will ever be!"

"That's enough Andrea!" Megan shouts as she blocks her path. "Cool it…screaming at the man won't make things any better."

Andrea keeps a tearful gaze at the man not paying attention to her overly emotional state; she gives a simple sound of disgust at him as she backs away shaking her head.

"No…it won't. But killing him won't solve anything either. Didn't you just tell us earlier that the Doctor is too involved in all of the timelines…that his death would destroy everything as well? Or was all that crap?"

Devenari closed his eyes in realization. The woman was correct in that fact, his mind was too swamped with concern for the well being of Galifrey and himself, he turned around and nodded to the human woman who seemed to surprise him by throwing his own words back in his face.

"No, child. You are right." He sighed in frustration. "Forgive me for overreacting. Perhaps…perhaps there is another way to save him…"

Megan placed her hands on Andrea's flush face and stroked her cheek to calm her down. The angered woman acknowledged her friend and returned to sit on the floor as she continued her vigil for the Doctor. Megan folded her arms and walked over to Devenari and gave him a stern look.

"Look…I haven't known the Doctor for long and I'm not sure what is truly going on here…but if there is another way to save him and us at the same time…I think you should try every and any possibility. Don't you?"

The President nods in her sound conclusion and both return to the young male operator at the computer. Both lean in on either side and try to think of another alternate plan.

"More power won't do it…reversing power won't do it…did anyone think of changing the frequency or harmonics of the energy?" Megan says in a professional manner.

The operator shifts his eyes in thought as he listens to Megan's suggestion. A wave of interest creeps onto his face as he gives a glance over to her and smirks with delight.

"Now that is something we can do…very nice, my lady."

"Just call me Megan." She smiles.

"Will that be enough though?" The President inquires as he presses his right index finger to his lips.

"It might be Lord President. If we change it gradually and resonate the frequency on different wavelengths…it could stabilize him for now."

Both Megan and Devenari look at one another with concern and give a shrug.

"Its better then nothing." Megan states.

"Very well…" The President breathes out as then pats the shoulder of the computer operator. "Proceed."

The young Timelord pushes a few glowing buttons on the console and then reaches over to a large black dial as he slowly turns it counter clockwise. The sound of the energy changing noise pitch causes the Doctor's body to settle down from his violent shake and eases back into a restful position.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"This is pointless Doctor!" The Guardian shouts.

The Doctor is now sitting on a green and black wooden park bench that wasn't there before. Like a stubborn child, he has his arms folded together and head lowered as he continues to think of ways out of his predicament.

"Nothing is ever pointless my dear sir!" The quirky Timelord shouts back bitterly. "I'm simply not going to co-operate with you. If I stay here and not take any path, it will give me time to think of a way out of this mess."

"What 'time' do you think you have Doctor?" The Infinite Guardian muses. "You can stay here all you want…but if you do…then you can never leave. You can't go forward and you can't go back."

"Why can't I go back?" The Doctor shouts as he rubs his face in a tired frustration. "You've been bullying me about going forward or side to side…but what about stepping backward?"

"You cannot go back either."

"WHY?" The Doctor screams at him furiously.

"Because Timelord…" The Guardian says stepping closer to him. "You will have no form to return too. The shell you have will never be again. To step back now is impossible…"

"Are you completely sure about that?" Another vibrant male voice shouts out.

Suddenly from behind the Tenth Doctor, his Eight regenerative self pops out as if he was just standing there directly behind the man. The ratty looking brown hair, the velvet brown waistcoat and childish grin all point to the Doctor's signature look.

"I mean…the choices you give are nothing but impossible." The cheerful man says walking around. "So I ask you…how can anyone be expected to make a choice when there is no alternative to make?"

The Guardian sighs at the sight of yet another form of the Doctor's past.

"Why do you bother with this tiresome game, Doctor?"

"Tiresome? Game?" The Eight Doctor squelches in a high-pitched tone. "My god, this is my life where talking about man! And I will not be sent off into the great beyond…or eternal nothingness without a good answer to my question."

"There is no answer." The red robed Guardian moans. "You're searching in circles Timelord…once you stepped into my realm there was no turning back. Death is the only choice now…or a brand new life as something else entirely."

"Ahhh…" The Eight Doctor says with his finger up in the air as if to catch the man's flaw. "There it is. New life you say? To what and to where? Hm? You haven't really mentioned a whole lot about that other alternative…seems to me like you're pushing the 'Death factor' as if you want me to become non-existent."

Pushing the annoying man aside, the Infinite Guardian walks over to the Tenth Doctor and tries speaking to him rather then the other.

"I don't wish to see you dead Doctor, but if you truly want to be a Timelord again…even if it for one last life…surly you would be better off dying as one rather being reborn as a life form that you would have no idea of becoming?"

The Tenth Doctor looks at him and rubs his temples; a strained and tired gaze washes over him as if he is about to pass out. Sitting back down on the bench as before, he gave a simple sigh and shook his head.

"To live one life as a barbaric villain would be even worst."

"Indeed!" The Eighth Doctor shouts as he runs over and sits beside his other self. "We refuse to become that which we most despise."

The Guardian strokes his beard as he watches the Tenth Doctor continue to rub his head in pain.

"So you have made your choice then…it is to be born as something else entirely."

As the robed man moves, the Doctor other self that had been sitting beside him has now become that of his Seventh regeneration. A shorter and almost similar dressed character with a white brimmed hat and a black umbrella with a red question mark end. The stout version of himself rests his chin playfully on the red stylized end and gives a sigh as he now speaks the answer for his future self.

"Choices, choices, choices." He exhales. "To die, perchance to dream…or live a life and dream of a chance for death. Curiouser and curiouser."

"I feel conflicted." The Tenth Doctor utters to his other self. "As if I'm stuck in a time loop and can't get out."

"A riddle within a riddle my friend." The Seventh version of him says. "But what's the answer?"

"I can't go forward and become evil…can I?" The chubby cheeked Doctor says as he leans back with his arm across his forehead.

"NO!" The other one says beside him. "Certainly not! I know what I'm capable of…or we are anyway…this is all a sham. A sham I say!"

A quick angry tap of his umbrella as he screams in frustration and the small Doctor walks over to the center of the roadway and looks at ever direction.

"Forward, left, right, and back again…its all nonsense! You're trying to drive me insane from all of this aren't you?"

The Guardian chuckles at the Seventh's heated response and clasps his hands together as he addresses to him.

"No Doctor…you are. By failing to make a proper choice you only drain yourself even further…the more you remain here, the less time you'll have to escape here."

"What do you mean by that?" The Scottish sounding Timelord inquires.

"I mean Doctor…the more you sit here and waste time, the more you will be here for all eternity. As I said before to you earlier, if you stay…you will never exist again…ever."

The Seventh Doctor tilted his white brimmed hat from behind his head with the umbrella, a simple exhale from his lips and moving his foot through the dirt as he thinks, the Doctor raises his eyes and rubs his chin.

"So…it would be as if I had gone down the path that leads to the great void. I see…"

"Tick, tock Doctor…tick, tock…" The red bearded man smirks at him.

"Tick tock?" The Tenth Doctor says as he removes his arm away from his forehead. "Interesting…time is ticking away."

The robed Guardian spins around and stares at the other self laying on the bench in realization.

"I beg your pardon?" He inquires.

"Hickory, dickery, dock…" The Timelord muses as he smiles at him curiously. "I'm the mouse that's climbing up the clock."

"You are a strange person Doctor."

The Tenth Doctor laughs for a second and stands up on his feet.

"Oh I've been called worst…but sticks and stones I say. Tell me…Infinite Guardian of limbo…why are you so obsessed with time?"

The Doctor wanders out past the robed individual and now steps in the middle of the road where his other self had been. Now vanished without a trace, the Seventh version of his former life had disappeared.

"If this is the realm of forever…then why are you in such a damn hurry for me to choose?"

"Because Doctor…as you can plainly see…" The Guardian growls back in frustration and pointing to the paths he must choose. "You're choices are vanishing quickly. The longer you waste time to choose…the more the roads disappear and then…your only option left is to be here with me…forever!"

The Doctor looks out beyond and sees the dirt roadways beginning to fade in the distance, like a rippling effect of a mirage, the paths begin to come closer, the seemingly high sun that had beaten down on the desert-like environment was now slowly setting to the west of him. The Doctor had that sinking feeling again, if he didn't pull through this it would be the end of him and become locked in timelessness forever with this obtuse Guardian of Infinity.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"Lord President!" The young Timelord howls as he watches the computer screen.

Standing near by with his hands clasped together like a man in prayer, the ruler of Galifrey snaps out of his thoughts and looks over at the perturbed individual.

"His life-force is fading! The drain has nearly doubled now!"

"WHAT?" Devendari gasps in horror as he leans down to the computer and checks the operator's calculations. "He was getting better a few seconds ago…what have you done?"

"I did nothing my Lord, one minute the Doctor was stabilized…the next he was falling down to nearly zero output."

Megan and Andrea rushed over as they heard the grim news.

"What's happening?" Andrea shouts. "You said this would make him better?"

"No, Andrea…" Megan somberly states. "I think our little attempt actually made it a lot worst…."

Turning to face them, Devendari's expression is that of utter puzzlement and soon looks past the two as he gazes at the Doctor's body beginning to fade and losing its form as the energy beam and he start to merge.

"Time is swallowing him inward…and there's no way to stop it."


	5. Chapter 5

Megan looks back at the controls and begins to operate some of the dials and sophisticated computer functions the young Timelord operator is trying to maneuver. Both Devenari and Andrea seem curious to her actions and watch her feverishly try to aid the young man in his attempts to reverse the process again.

"Megan! What are you doing?" Andrea shouts.

"I'm a doctor too you know…and scientist…there's no way in hell I'm giving up without a fight." She barked back. "I've been watching them operate this thing for awhile so I have a grasp of what it can do. We'll switch the frequency around a bit more, interchange the harmonics and see if we can't find the right energy signature to bring the Doctor back into his body again."

"Even if you do manage to find the right one…what makes you think the Doctor can ever be the same again?" Devenari questions at her. "The universe is a complicated matter my dear, simply bringing him back might not be enough to restore the timeline that might already be crumbling."

Megan glares up at him in anger. "Then I guess it's up to the Timelords to fix the situation isn't it? For a such a superior species…you people really have the worst track record in keeping the universe safe!"

Just as the fanciful dressed man was about to rebuke her statement, the young operator at the console smiled and shouted to him in joy.

"Lord President! Something is happening!"

Pointing to the screen filled with numbers and lettering indigenous to their world, the computer operator continued to smile as he showed the Galifreian President the new results.

"There…a spike occurred! For a second he almost came back…."

Megan noticed it too and smiled as well. "Then let's find that frequency and do it again."

Andrea rushed over to the Doctor's body and bit her knuckle with worry.

"Come on Doctor…fight…fight…."

•••••••••••••••••••

"Where are you going Doctor?" The red bearded Guardian shouts out to the quirky Timelord starting to walk away from him.

"Well it's obvious isn't it…I can't go back…I can't go forward…then I'll go side to side if need be."

Suddenly another figure comes running up beside him and joins him in his sprint across the darkening wasteland. The man accompanying him, wearing a multi-colored jacket of orange and plaid, is almost as tall as the Doctor, with blonde curly hair and a very cherub like face about him.

"At a boy!" The Sixth Doctor says as he claps his hands. "Beat him at his own game is what I say. Why go forward when there's a perfectly good stretch of land at the right or left side…"

"Exactly!" The Tenth Doctor grumbles in agreement. "Who does he think he is ordering me around like some small child? I've lived too long to be shoved around like a kid straight out of the Academy…and I'll be damned if I'm going to let him win."

The two continued to walk on proudly with one another as they looked about for any sign of the Guardian following them. It seemed to go on for miles as they wandered on, the sun now dimly lit the sandy valley to a bare haze as the two stopped in their tracks to get a breather. Squinting at the emptiness, the Doctors spun around frantically and assessed their situation.

"This isn't working…" The current Doctor exhales. "Something should be happening by now."

"You'd think there was a simple way of just walking out of here." His other self muttered. "Strange how the landscape almost looks like it's never moved…as if…as if we've been walking…in circles."

The two glanced at each other and suddenly dawned on them both.

"We have been walking in circles." They reply in unison.

"Of course you have." The familiar voice of Guardian booms out. "Did you really think this was the answer?"

Both turned to face him as he suddenly appeared behind them and gave a pleased smirk. As the Tenth Doctor crouched down to get more air, the Sixth Doctor waltzed over calmly to the keeper of the realm and peered at him intensely.

"Now look here my good man. I'm tired of playing your sick little games anymore…show us the right path to leave or so help me I'll…"

"You'll do what?" The Guardian growls.

Taking a comedic gulp, the curly blonde haired man gave a nervous smile as he responded.

"I'll…report you to the Guardian Timekeeper's association for bad manners…the minute I find a way out of your little maze."

The Tenth Doctor finally sits down on the sand and folds in his knees to his chest. Resting his head on them and wrapping his arms around, the Timelord gives a sigh as he watches the two stand there.

"Why can't you just let me leave?" He moans. "You said you are the keeper of forever. Don't you have the power to let me go?"

"Not so simple a task, Doctor." The Guardian states coldly. "There are rules here…like all things in the universe…one does not simply walk away from one's own death."

"And become that monstrosity!" The Sixth Doctor yells at him as it echoes through the air. "To be so twisted and malevolent as the Master…to be just like him or worst? Do you know how much this plagued my mind after it was revealed that I was the one putting myself on trial? Me! The Doctor? I've never had an impure thought in my life!"

"Are you sure about that?" The Guardian gazes down at him with a questionable manner. "Even when faced with impossible odds and villains who continually challenge you're very existence? I find that hard to believe."

"I am not evil! I am not corrupt! I am not the Master! I will not go down that road and be the next one in line to become the sinister rogue!"

"There are other choices, Doctor." The fully regal gowned man replies to the angered Timelord. "Why you refuse to take either one instead is beyond me…"

"Because you constantly insist that I die…" Sixth version of the Timelord says as he turns his back in anger. "Whatever road I'm given to choose from ultimately means my death."

The Guardian sighs. "Please…there is one path to life, to become reborn in another life."

"Yes…another life!" The Doctor quips, as he turns around again, his appearance changes and now becomes a fair-haired individual with tanned coat and red striped pants. "A life that would mean the end of me. All that I am…all that I was…would be lost forever."

The Tenth Doctor looks up and notices his former self had now become his Fifth incarnation. A skinny man with passionate eyes and a green celery stick attached to his lapel. The Infinite Guardian could see this Timelord was using all of his personalities to argue for him, a way to give the current version a chance to rest as he listen to the debate.

"But you would be living again Doctor." The bearded man stated as he stroked his whiskers in thought. "Isn't that much better then the other alternatives? True you wouldn't be exactly as you are anymore…more then certainly you wouldn't be a Timelord…and all knowledge you have now would be erased. Still, you would have the chance to rebuild your identity, study and retrain your mind to it's level of intelligence once again…and live to whatever way you see fit."

"Not a very convincing type of Guardian are you?" The Fifth Doctor says in a stale manner. "I find that bit of flawed reasoning to be rather cold of you."

"I merely state to you of what must happen."

"Then you must understand that I find it all rather inconvenient and somewhat unfair." The celery wearing Timelord breathes out with contempt. "To be given such little options seems rather unlike the universe…I've always found that life and death is nothing but full of surprises. You say there is no other way out of this…but I beg to differ. I think you're holding me back…hiding the truth even…that there is another way out of this mess."

Looking frustrated and tired of this conversation, the Guardian squeezes the bridge of his nose as if fatigued.

"Must we go about all this forever…I don't know how many ways I can make you understand all this." He groans as he walks past the debating previous Doctor. "I tire of your constant pestering, using your former selves to help you won't change the situation any Doctor. Either choose a path or at the very least stop bringing in your other regenerations to plague me."

The Tenth Doctor finally snickers as he rises up from his crouched position. "You seek pity from me? Please…I will haunt you to the very end if need be…release me from this place and I will make them stop. Don't release me…and listen to my many voices hound you on for all eternity."

"Don't you dare threaten me…TIMELORD!" The Guardian's voice booms out as the sound of thunder and the ground shaking below their feet suddenly happens. "You can talk my ears off until they bleed with your constant whining…but know this…you will choose! Or I will force you down one of those paths by force!"

"Now, now…" The Fifth Doctor calmly states as he wags his finger at the man as he steps in between. "Temper, temper my good chap. That's no way for a Infinite Guardian to behave now is it? Or maybe…you're not so powerful as you'd like to think. Interesting, isn't it? That only when I decide not to choose…you get too riled up."

The angered Guardian glares at the foolish man standing in his sight and quickly builds up a ball of energy in his hand and strikes down the Fifth Doctor with it. The bright blue electric flash of the energy zapping the former Doctor causes his current self to step back in fear. His former self only lasted a moment as he gave a slight cry of pain as he was vaporized in mere seconds. The Guardian eyes had now become red in hue and glowing as his anger fueled his power behind them.

"Test me no longer Doctor. Because if you do not leave…then you shall endure pain the likes no creature in all of creation has ever experienced!"

The Doctor stood alarmed by the man's threat and noticed how the darkness was starting to creep in all around now, the sun finally disappearing and now the darkness slowly covering the barren wasteland.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"There…it's dropping again!" The young computer operator shouts to Megan looking on.

"What did you do?" Megan panics.

"Sorry…I thought if I went in the lower bands he might pull himself through."

"Well stop doing that…it's obvious that the higher in pitch we go the more he has a chance of resisting the drain."

Andrea remains standing near the Doctor, as the energy beam pouring into him seemed to become softer in hue. His body continued to reflect the spinning vortex inside, but now had become fainter in color as well. The Lord President of Galifrey stood behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders for comfort. He could see how much the Doctor meant to her, humans were always an emotional species, one that even Devenari could see why the Doctor felt so compelled to be with them instead.

"He's not going to make it…is he?" Andrea asked in a depressive tone.

"I wish I could be so certain my child." He says back to her. "The energy within him is starting to fade, it's been too long a struggle for him and I think he's given all he can to fight back."

The Canadian woman droops her head and wipes a few tears from her cheek. This sweet, yet oddly quirky man had been such a good friend to her. There are times when she even felt like it was something more between them. Gazing at his face, she couldn't bear to see him this way; it tore her up inside that she was powerless to rescue him this time.

Patting the President's hands to let her go, she walked closer to the Doctor lying on the table and crouched down to peer at him as if to study his face one last time.

"In all the times we've faced danger…" She quivered as she whispered to his ear. "I always thought you would be there to save me. Can you believe that?

Rubbing her forehead she snickered at the thought. "Me…a police officer? I should be the one saving lives, doing my duty to protect and serve. I know, I know…stop being so emotional right? But I just can't help it my friend. You of all people understood me better then anyone could…the one man in my life who gave me hope when I was at my worst. Don't die, Doctor. Don't Die…please keep fighting…I love you too much to let you go."

The woman then sobs as she tries to keep talking to him. "So many people have died in my life…friends, family, old partners…I couldn't take it if you left me as well. Please Doctor…just don't die."

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Andrea's voice echoed over and over in the air as the Doctor stood in the creeping darkness. He and the Guardian continued to stand before each other and heard her sweet sorrow filled voice. Looking up at the void, the Doctor perked as he heard her beg.

"Andrea…" He spoke as his voice faltered slightly.

"ANDREA!"

"She cannot here you Doctor." The Guardian muses. "But I'm sure she is aware that you are nearly at the end of your time."

"No…" The Timelord says as his eyes well up with tears. "This can't be…this can't be happening. Andrea…"

The darkness continues to close in around them as the Doctor kneels down and places his hands onto his face in disbelief. The Guardian remains standing over him as he slowly gives a smile watching the Doctor's reaction.


	6. Chapter 6

"Your time has come at last…Doctor." The infinite Guardian laughs as he watches the Timelord crouch down in a protective posture.

The Doctor closes his eyes tightly as he feels the darkness drawing ever closer and the shadows stretching up to reach him.

"Excuse me…" A voice suddenly echoes out. "I don't believe we're finished discussing the matter as of yet."

The shadows that had been reaching up to the Doctor had now quickly retracted and a large light source appeared on the ground as a man with a brown velvet waistcoat and an excessively large scarf casually walked out towards them. Picking up the dragging part of the multi-colored wool scarf, he threw it over his shoulder to get it out of the way and removed the floppy dark brown brimmed hat from his head. A head full of brown curls and a toothy grin that gave the Tenth Doctor a reason to smile back.

"Hello me…" The Tenth said to the man as he rose up to meet him.

"Hello there…I say, it's rather dark out here isn't it?" The curly haired man giggled as he shook the Doctor's hand.

The Guardian wasn't amused by this intrusion again. His eyes that once were all a flame with red fury began to dissipate and gave a groan of annoyance.

"Not again…" He sighed. "I suppose you are the fourth incarnation…"

"Yes!" The wooly scarfed man replied cheerfully. "I'm the Doctor…oh…but you knew that. Of course you did how silly of me…still never hurts to repeat it I say. Goodness me…do you know that your little dramatics almost didn't allow me to have my say? I mean…come on…you let the others tout on about saving my life but don't let me come in. Rather rude wouldn't you say? Would anyone care for a jelly baby?"

The Fourth Doctor opened a small bag out of his pocket and shared it with his other self, after he takes one out to eat, the curly haired man tries offering it to the Guardian. With a furious snarl on his face, the man smacks it out of the Doctors hand and spills it to the ground. The Fourth Doctor looks surprised by his actions and quickly frowns at the result.

"Not a jelly baby fan I take it?"

"You Doctor are the most stubborn, most contemptible and most ludicrous Timelord I've ever encountered!" The Guardian howls.

Bowing slightly to his words, the Fourth Doctor grins takes the praise for what it is.

"Oh thank you. Nice to be a challenge to someone like you Infinite Guardian. Infinite Guardian…you know I don't believe I've ever actually read any facts about you, strange isn't it?"

"What do you mean?" The man curiously asks.

The Fourth Doctor paces around him as he rubs his chin and begins playing with a yo-yo after taking it out of his other pocket.

"Well, to be honest…there aren't any legends about an Infinite Guardian, oh there's the legend of the Zero Time…the realm of nowhere, a mythical area where all bad little Timelords go that don't eat their veggies. But no real mention of someone like you controlling it all. Interesting…isn't it?"

"That's true." The Tenth Doctor suddenly realizes. "Zero Time was merely only a fable…but no one was supposed to be in control of it…"

"Exactly." The other Doctor grinned with his toothy smile. "Zero Time isn't a zone of space and time…it's the apex of all beginnings…or endings if you like. And no being…not even the Black or the White Guardian have any control over its existence."

The Doctor stops playing with his toy and walks straight up the Infinite Guardian's face and lowers his voice, as he looks him in the eye.

"So…who are you really?"

"I am the Infinite Guardian, Doctor. I am the beginning and the end."

"No you're not." The Doctor says as he continues to keep close to him. "The White and Black Guardian are the only two Galifreian beings that control the destiny of time and space. I ought to know…I met with both of them and neither one has ever mentioned you to neither me nor any other Timelord in existence. So who are you…really?"

The Tenth Doctor watches the two men stare at one another and suddenly comes up with the one answer that must be true.

"You're not a Guardian…are you? You aren't supposed to be here are you?"

"Careful Doctor…" The man replies as he continues to lock eyes with the curly haired challenger. "Questioning my existence is one of utter contempt. Don't change the subject…it is not my life in jeopardy…but yours."

Releasing himself from the gaze, the Fourth Doctor places his hands into his pants pockets and strolls back facing his other self.

"Yes…my life is in jeopardy. And for now you do seem to have me at a crossroads that I can't seem to find an exit out of. But I wonder…"

The multi-colored scarfed Doctor looked up at his other self and finished his thought.

"Are you in the same predicament as me? Or are you trying to delay me for some other purpose?"

"Yes…" The Tenth Doctor nods as he now becomes in full tune with his former self's way of thinking. "Strange how you seem so concerned with my choice in the manner in which I die. Now why would that matter to someone like a Guardian of any status…Black, White…Infinite? I think you're hiding the truth from me."

"I hide nothing from you Doctor!" The Guardian quickly snaps as he turns away from the two.

"Wrong!" The Fourth Doctor shouts out loud.

As he turns around to face the Guardian again, he now has changed in appearance again. This time his dark curly hair has now become white and his once toothy grin now a scowling older facade. The scarf and brown jacket had become a deep velvet of blue and a white ruffled shirt that bore a purple silk bow tie.

"You hide the truth!" The next Doctor says with a slight lisp. "You don't belong here…just as I don't belong here."

Quickly walking over to the Guardian, he grabs him by the arm and forces him to face him.

"You're trapped aren't you? Trapped just as I am…admit it. You're no Guardian…"

Flinging the man away from him, the power of the regal looking being sends the Third Doctor straight over to the Tenth as he catches him from the throw.

"Oh dear…that was foolish of me." The lisping man says, as he looks at his other self.

"Are you trying to get me killed? Or is this all part of the plan?" The Doctor says as he helps the other up.

"Trust me my boy…I think this is working."

"No its not…" Another voice suddenly booms out from behind them.

Both Doctor turn around and see a strange looking short man with checkered trousers and a long black jacket that seems too big for him. His thick eyebrows match he color of his straight bowl shaped black hair and gazes at them standing there.

"This is going to make things worst. Now stop all this foolishness and lets get to the heart of the matter."

"Oh god…not him." The Tenth moans as he shakes his head disappointingly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" The Third Doctor shouts.

The quirky little man shuffles his feet over to them and raises his eyebrows humorously.

"Oh, not happy to see me are we? Too bad fancy pants. You had your chance at this fellow, now make way for someone that actually knows what their doing."

The white haired Doctor snickered at his remark and folded his arms over in frustration.

"You? Rubbish…what are you going to do this time? Play him a tune on that silly recorder of yours…Scarecrow?"

"Oh, how dare you…I'll have you know that recorder of mine saved our lives when Omega threatened the universe!"

"Yes and if you recall it was my plan that managed to get us out of that trap." The Third Doctor replies.

"You're plan?" The Second Doctor questions.

"Yes my plan…I had no choice but to bring you along, why the Timelords keep sending you to help me is beyond reason."

"Maybe because they know I've got more experience and less frills on my shirt! I mean really…who are you trying to impress with that snooty outfit of yours!"

"The only experience you've got is sticking that big hook of a nose of yours into trouble!" The Third Doctor shouts as he tweaks the other mans nose.

The two men continued to quarrel with one another as they tried to out do each other's insults and suggestions on how to handle the situation. The infinite Guardian couldn't take the loud banter anymore and threw his hand out to send a blue bolt of energy at their feet. The two former Doctors recoiled in fear and silenced immediately.

"ENOUGH!" The riled Guardian demands. "This comedy is over! Choose the path…choose it now!"

All three Doctors look at one another and pause as they glance at each other. With a growing smile between them all, they each give a slight nod and both the Second and the Third Doctor shake hands hesitantly. The two Doctors soon give the Tenth Doctor a pat on the shoulder and a reassuring smile.

"Sorry ol' boy…time for us to make our exit." The Third Doctor smiles.

"Yes…short as our visit is try not to ruin the moment by giving us a group hug or anything like that…fancy pants here wouldn't want to crush that frilly shirt of his." The Second Doctor says as he gives a playful smirk to the white haired man.

"Alright, alright…lets just do it as we intended. Scarecrow."

The Tenth Doctor giggles slightly and watches his former selves walk up to the angered Guardian together.

"You are not the infinite Guardian! You are a fraud!" The Third Doctor shouts.

"A charlatan dear sir! A charlatan!" The Second agrees loudly. "We defy you! We defy you and deny you…you're a fake!

"A phony!" The white haired Doctor adds.

"A liar!" The Second says as they join together in berating the man looking at them in growing anger.

"Death doesn't come for us!" The Third continues.

"It comes instead for you…the infinite fool!" The Second states last.

With a blast from his red eyes, now burning brighter in anger then ever before, the Guardian vaporizes the two men and howls in a demonic tone as he erases them from his sight. With the Tenth Doctor shielding his eyes from the ever-glowing power from the man's vision, he steps back slowly as he notices the Guardian marching over to him in haste.

"I've tried to give an easy passing, Doctor." The infinite creature growled. "I tried to be patient as you delayed me for as long as you could. But now you've forced me to make the choice for you…and I think that you shall be taken out of time forever…and never exists ever again!"

The Doctor quickly begins to run for his life, through the darkness he can feel the sand on his feet, the light barely giving him enough to see the direction he is going, but soon comes to a halt when he notices the three lane post appear out of the shadows. Two of the signs burn in flame and dissolve to the ground; the only one pointing now is the one to the endless void. The Doctor suddenly trips and falls to the ground in front of the only road left and rolls over to see the demonic looking Guardian coming towards him with his hand stretched out to grab him.

"Goodbye Doctor…Forever and always!" The creature laughs.

•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

"We're losing him!" The young Timelord shouts.

"The energy spike has tripled! How is that possible?" Megan says in anger. "The random frequencies are working anymore…its as if the energy is attaching itself to every one we create!"

The Galifreian President runs over to the console just as Andrea gasps at the sudden change of the Doctor's body color. The hue of his skin tone now becomes red and starts to pulsate like a glowing star.

"Turn it off…turn it off now!" Devendari shouts.

"We can Lord President!" The young man continues to scream. "We can't…I've tried everything…it's like the energy is on a build up to detonation!"

"Try damn you…try harder! Rip out every circuit if you must…but just shut this machine off!"

Megan and the Lord President of Galifrey try to help the frantic computer operator as they both try any switch and rip off the side panels of the computer to remove the wires. As the Doctor's body starts to turn bright red he begins to shake violently and light begins shine out of him like an ora of doom. Andrea watches the horrifying spectacle before her as she kneels before him, tears streaming down her face as she watches her good friend die. Reaching out with her hand, she tries to gab hold of his and shouts at him in anger.

"Fight Doctor! Fight damn you! Don't leave like this…FIGHT!"

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Screaming at the sight of the flaming red hand of the devilish Guardian reaching for him, the Doctor once again closes his eyes for the worst. With no place left to run, no other way of getting out of the way, he feels this is indeed the end of him.

"STOP!"

A new voice suddenly shouts to the infinite creature, an older male voice that gets his attention and makes him look up. The Doctor also opens his eyes and sees the person standing at the road sign with a scowl on his face.

"You have no right to force this choice on me." The old man shouts again.

Dressed in a black tailed coat, grey trousers and pin striped vest, the old man walks over as he stares down the red flamed guardian. His skinny old frame and white hair gives him a wise appearance, aged and feisty this man shakes his finger at the demon like a scolding parent to a child.

"Now get away from this poor lad. Back I say!"

The Guardian steps away slowly and eyes the little ancient man that orders him.

"Who are you to command me?" The red flamed creature angrily demands. "Your time has come…I am the one who commands here."

"No you are not." The old man points again. "I am the Doctor…the original host. While I have lived many lives, my mind has been one and the same throughout all of them. You command nothing here…absolutely nothing. For you are a prisoner…yes…a prisoner sent here by the Guardians of Time!"

The Tenth Doctor, still laying on the ground looks at the being and finally realizes that it's true.

"You have no power over me, over time…or even this Lost Zone…you are…what are you?"

The creature howls in laugher and gazes down at them both.

"I was the most powerful being in the universe…before there was a universe…I was the beginning and I was the end…I was here before the Guardians ever were."

"Yes…you were…" The First Doctor admits. "But once the Guardians became powerful, they combined their powers to place you here. A zone much like my ancestors used to create to amuse themselves…only this one is holding you here…as your prison."

"The fable is true then?" The Tenth Doctor asks as he rises up with the help of his original self.

"Yes my boy, it seems as if it is. But not so much as it was foretold over the generations. I seem to recall a mention of an ancient text discovered in the tomb of Rassilon, about the origins of the Guardians and the struggle to maintain a balance in the universe. Perhaps that was the forbidden knowledge the Timelords have been trying to keep secret for eternity. It would explain many things…hmm."

"Yes…" The other Doctor nods. "I remember some of the fable now…about a creature that did not belong in our dimension, one that fought the Guardians of Time and Space as they shaped it into existence."

"The Guardians…I despise them! They lied to you creatures, made you believe that all space and time began with them. Give me freedom Doctor…and I shall spare you're life." The creature snickered.

The old man paced for a second and tapped his index finger to his lips as he continued to think.

"What crimes I wonder have you done to warrant such a controlled place? Why would they send you here and not destroy you…perhaps the nothing can kill you or survive without you being in here? Or maybe…maybe you're here because if you are turned loose…all life will perish. This is indeed a disturbing riddle…but a riddle that no one should ever find an answer too."

The Tenth Doctor reached over to the old man and debated the issue.

"Why not get the answer? Think of what this could mean…the universe…all life…the very faith of which all beings share could change…perhaps for the better."

"No." The old man says bitterly. "This is what the creature wants…don't you see…to destroy faith is to destroy everything. There's something bigger then the universe, something grander then you and I my dear boy. A cosmic fact so large and daunting that only the Guardians themselves could comprehend its very nature. And for us to expose the secret, to reveal the truth, to look where no other dares…it would be the end of…well…everything my boy, everything."

Looking back up at the red fiery creature, the Tenth Doctor gets a flash of terror about that thought.

"Everything…an endless void of nothingness. Now I see why they put you here…because you are the balance to the universe…and to set you free would mean it's very collapse."

Looking back at his original self, the Tenth Doctor gave him a curious look.

"But, why would he make me choose? Why did he want me dead? What was I to him?"

"A means to escape." The old man smirks. "You…or I that is…were the only one that managed to slip into this Zero Time area. He's never had anyone here before and once he saw the opportunity…he needed us to choose because he couldn't take our mind by force. Once we surrendered to his will…he would have taken our body and been reborn."

"The evil me." The Doctor gasps. "The Thirteenth Doctor…that's how it happens."

The old man giggles at his conclusion and shakes his head negatively.

"Oh my boy…there is no evil me. There never was."

"Eh?" The chubby faced Doctor curiously sounds. "I beg to differ…I fought him when I was on trial…he was there…I saw him, he even admitted he was me."

"Nonsense." The First Doctor chuckles. "We both know that there is no dark side to me."

"Yes there is Doctor." The Guardian now interrupts. "I've scanned your mind while you've been wasting time, seen the many evils you've faced or encountered. Did you not try to murder the Daleks during their genesis? Kill Cybermen at every meeting? You meddle and change history whenever it suits you. You've even managed to eliminate some of your dear companions in your journeys. Is that not a dark side to your nature?"

Both look at one another and give an uncomfortable gaze.

"He's right you know." The Tenth Doctor admits. "I've seemed to cause death and destruction where ever I go. Perhaps…my fate is sealed to one path."

"I don't believe it my boy." The old man scowls. "Yes I've made mistakes…yes I've meddled and come so close to the edge that I would surely become as twisted as the Master. But I for one have faith in my own morals, my own convictions, and that when it comes to choosing what is right from wrong…I always follow my heart…."

Then giving a wink of his eye and tapping his forehead, the aged Doctor looks at his Tenth self and finishes his statement.

"And my mind. For you see…you will never be alone…we're all in here together with you to make the right choices. Regenerations where given to the Timelords to make them learn from previous mistakes, to do away with immortality and make them more sympathetic to just how fragile life is. Some learn from them, others tend to waste them. But that learning was the key to our existence…and speaking on all my other selves behalf's…we have never wasted them. Time to forget the man you might be…and just be the man you are."

The demonic Guardian growled again at them. Listening to this endless rambling increased his anger and made him grow double in size. Wings of flame now stretched out from behind his back and his true evil form ripped away the clothing he wore. The massive horned red flamed creature balled his fists as he roared, but the two Doctors remained where they were and never gave in to fear of his true self.

"You must die Doctor!" The screeching demon demands. "I've been here too long to be stopped by the likes of you! Now you shall stay here for all eternity, a prisoner locked away while I return to the universe and feed on its energy!"

Both men stare at the hulking form and reply in unison.

"NO."

"What?" The creature says.

"You have no power here or over us." The old man states.

"Only the combined will of my mind is capable of leaving this void." The Tenth Doctor smirks. "That's why you really need me…you need all the life force of my previous lives to leave this time loop your stuck in. But I don't submit to your will…and I for one…am tired of being here."

"Come my boy." The old Doctor smiles. "Nothing for us here. Nothing at all…just a endless riddle that must never be solved. And who'd want to solve it? Certainly not me…I've wasted enough lives trying to find it."

The old man eyes the Doctor's costume and gives a slight sigh.

"And I've certainly wasted enough fashion over the course of time as well."

Both Doctors turn away and begin walking down the only road still visible. The sign post at the end collapses into flame and disappears. The creature howls again at the men and reaches out with its massive hand.

"Doctor! Doctor! You will regret this…evil shall take you…you will become my servant and all life will pay for your mistake!"

The Tenth Doctor pauses in his steps and lets the older Doctor continue walking alone for a second. Turning back to gaze at the burning demon, he shakes his head and gives a comedic wave to him.

"Sorry, must dash my good chap. Enjoy the rest of forever…totally alone."

The Doctor catches up with the older man and both pat one another on the back as they continue walking.

"No Doctor! No! Nooooooo!"

As it howls on endlessly, a bright light begins to crack open in the darkness and the two grinning Timelords become enveloped in it as they leave the zone.

••••••••••••••••••••••••••

In the chamber on Galifrey, room suddenly lights up in a bright light and dims back to its regular light source. Devendari looks over at the Doctor and notices his body has stop glowing. His skin no longer reflects the vortex of space-time, instead it has turned mute in color and his breathing has ended. Rushing over to feel his wrist and listen to both hearts from his chest, the man closes his eyes in disbelief.

"He's Dead." The Lord President sighs as he stands over the Doctor's pale lifeless body.

The Timelord President turns to the others looking on and walks away slowly from the Doctor's corpse. Andrea is sobbing with grief as Megan comes to embrace her in comfort. The two companions cannot believe they couldn't save him. The other Timelords in the room gather round and bow their heads at his passing.

"Strange how the time stream seems unaffected by his death." Devendari admits with surprise. "Perhaps the Doctor was not such a vital link to the cosmos as we all thought."

Andrea pulls away from Megan; the comforting hug she gave wasn't enough to end her tears. She walks back over to the Doctor's body and leans in over his head.

"I will miss you so much my friend…perhaps the day will come when we'll meet again…in another life beyond this one."

Suddenly the Doctor's skin color returns to its normal tone, his nostrils flare as they breathe in the air and his eyes pop open as he looks up at Andrea hovering over him.

"Must you weep over me…I'm getting soaking wet here."

"DOCTOR!" Andrea shouts in hysterical amazement.

The entire room was startled by his return and the sound of his voice made Megan jump back in shock.

"We…we thought…I mean…you were…" Megan stutters.

"Dead?" The Timelord muses. "Yes…I was…"

He then props himself up quickly and turns to face the entire room with a grin.

"But thankfully my time wasn't quite up yet."

Andrea gives him a great big hug and laughs at his return. Megan smiles joyfully and joins him as he sits at the edge of the table.

"What the hell happened to you Doctor? We tried everything to bring you back?"

"Well Megan…" He says scratching his forehead. "Hell is probably the best description I can give. Believe me…I don't ever want to go back to it ever again."

Andrea wipes the tears from her cheeks and caresses his face.

"How? How did you come back?" She inquires.

"I have my full life to thank for my return. And a certain shrilling voice of someone telling me to fight."

The Lord President of Galifrey crouched down to the Doctor's eye level and gazed at him with curiosity.

"Doctor…are you sure you're alright? The energy drain from you was enormous…we thought for sure that if we brought you back suddenly that you'd die from the shock or return as your final regenerative state…"

The Doctor hugged Andrea, as he was happy to see her again and looked up at the curious leader with a cheerful grin.

"Oh no Lord President. I think I have a few more lives to spare before the end."

END


End file.
